UK Jewelry Store to Close After 277 Years in Business

Thurlow Champness & Son Jewellers, a store in Suffolk, England, with a 277-year history, is closing its doors.

Owner Trevor Salt has decided to retire, the East Anglian Daily Times reports.

“Unfortunately, we have no one to pass the business to, and after a long career I am keen to focus more on family life and invest some time in my hobbies,” he told the newspaper. “When we close the doors for the final time it will be an incredibly sad day.”

Thurlow Champness is believed to be the oldest continuously operating retail business in the town of Bury St Edmunds.

The store’s roots date to 1745, when George Lumley opened the business to sell watches and clocks, according to the Daily Times.

Salt, who is managing director and majority shareholder, is part of a family that has owned the business since 1901. He started in the business in 1982 and is a third-generation owner.

The store is holding a closing sale on July 16 and will shut down for good on Aug. 31, the Bury Free Press reports.